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Peel Private Hospital leads way in delivering safer health outcomes

Peel Private Hospital will today launch a new initiative, with the support of Medibank Private, which will help to address one of the most challenging clinical issues facing the health care system.

The hospital will use a grant from Medibank Private to implement a research project designed to promote healthy skin by ensuring consistent and sustainable clinical practices in relation to the management of skin breakdown.

Managing skin problems, such as pressure sores, is an important clinical issue in terms of incidence, prevalence and cost to the health system.

Peel Private Hospital has been awarded $27,000 through the Medibank Safety and Clinical Improvement Incentive Pool, set up to support private hospitals to improve quality and safety.

At a presentation ceremony held at the hospital today, Medibank praised Peel Private Hospital's commitment to lifting the standards of patient safety and quality and for leading the industry in improving the safety and quality of healthcare for members.

Medibank Private has dedicated more than $900,000 in funding, through the Incentive Pool to hospitals across Australia to improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

Medibank' Private's Hospital Contract Manager, Slade Logan said, the incentive pool allows Medibank Private to work with private hospitals, like Peel Private, to reduce the risk of adverse events and encourage innovation and best practice in clinical care in Australian private hospitals.

Peel Private Hospital has already commenced work on the innovative project by auditing current clinical practices and identifying pressure sores and other skin breakdowns as a significant adverse event affecting patients and their carers across the hospital system.

Peel Private Hospital has been applauded by Medibank Private as leading the industry in improving the safety and quality of healthcare for members.

"Medibank has had an overwhelming response from hospitals to take part in the Incentive Pool and we're very pleased that hospitals share our commitment to improving clinical outcomes," Mr Logan went on to say.

"We want better health outcomes for our members and the incentive pool forces us to do more than just talk about improving quality and safety.

"We are assisting hospitals to be more innovative, to lift the bar on current standards.

"It's simple really - we want the best health outcomes for our members, we asked hospitals how they could do this, they told us and we are helping them make it a reality," he said.

� Originally $500,000 was made available in 2006, but due to the quality of applications this increased to over $900,000. � 34 hospitals across Australia were successful in their application � Total value of approved proposals is $907,488� Major areas of innovation of applications included:  Falls prevention and management Improving management of medication Discharge and re-admission planning Improving patient communication and education� A pool of $1 million will be available for distribution in 2007.